Foreign Exchange Students Looking for Elk Grove Host Families

International Student Exchange is a non-profit that helps unite foreign exchange students with volunteer host families. They are currently looking for families in Elk Grove to host high school students. Their mission is to bring people of the world together to help people gain understanding and knowledge of other cultures. The organization has been helping unite people for almost 40 years, making them one of the largest and longest running programs.

Elk Grove Family with ISE Student

Host Requirements

ISE is currently looking for families in Elk Grove for the next school year (2018-2019). Anyone can be a host family as long as they can provide a safe and comfortable environment for a student during their time in the US. Host families are very diverse coming from different economic, religious, and racial backgrounds. Families can have their own children or no children. However, all host families need to pass a background check and screening for safety reasons.

There are a few home requirements to be a host. First, hosts must provide a caring home for the students. ISE recommends treating the exchange students like your own children including them in chores and family outings. Second, students need to be provided with a bed and a place to study. Exchange students can share a room with another child of the same gender and within 4 years of their age. Third, host families need to provide 3 meals a day to the student. If the student decides to buy school lunch, they will pay for that on their own. Last, host families need to help the students get to school be it showing them the way to walk, bike, carpool, or helping them find a bus that the student will pay for.

Elk Grove Family with ISE Student

Host Benefits

In return, the host families will receive a claim of $50 a month on their federal income taxes. The main reason people host is to show an international student the wonderful things about America and Elk Grove. Hosts fulfill a child’s dream to live in America and learn about the culture. Students also teach their host families about their culture. It’s a great way to broaden your horizons and create life-long friendships for your family. The hosts also receive support from ISE. ISE offers a 24/7 hotline to help families. They also put on gatherings for students as well as families to socialize and learn.

ISE Student Outing

Students

ISE works with students in 40 countries. All students are between 15-18 years of age. The ISE will help students to enroll into the Elk Grove high school closest to your home. All students are carefully screened before being accepted into the program. The students can all speak English so communication should not be a big problem. Students will also bring their own spending money to cover their own clothing, hygiene items, and recreation such as going to prom or site seeing. All students have full health insurance. ISE tries to place students in homes with similar interests and activity levels.

Students currently looking for hosts in the area

“Ginevra is from Italy. She is a very honest and sincere girl that likes to talk and meet new people. She speaks Italian, English, and Spanish. She loves to swim and is on the swim team. She is creative and likes art especially painting and ceramics. In her free time she likes to read, watch movies, and play the piano.”

“Pedro is from Brazil. He is a good student and speaks English well. He is a huge Star Wars fan. He also likes to be active and enjoys playing soccer, skateboarding, surfing, and going to the gym. He likes watching different kinds of sports. In his free time he plays video games, goes to the movies, visits relatives, and plays cards.”

Testimonials

We have had an amazing experience with the young lady that we are hosting from Germany this year! If I can host anyone can! (I am a single mom of a 13 year old son) This is the second year that we have hosted a student. Open your home and your heart to these amazing kids and you will be the one who is receiving the blessing!

Jennifer – Host Mother

I have hosted 4 students so far, and they each feel like family now. I am so lucky to know these kids. I get to learn a little bit about their culture and they learn a little about ours. I would say I love my “students” but the truth is, I love my exchange daughters. They are family to me.

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Author: Ashley NewellAshley Newell is the Managing Editor of the Elk Grove Tribune. Ashley is a wife, mother, and long time Elk Grove resident. She has been blogging for 10 years at AshleyNewell.me (formerly Heart Hugs Designs) and was voted 5th place in Sacramento Area A-List Local Best Blogger 2017. She is passionate about helping others, trying new things, and spreading the word about her finds. You can connect with her using her AshleyNewell.me Facebook Page, Instagram @ashleynewell.me, Twitter @ashleynewell_me, and on her site AshleyNewell.me.